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Author Topic: Shaft sealant  (Read 9140 times)

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Offline nugget

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Shaft sealant
« on: July 24, 2007, 12:09:33 pm »
I am lookin for advice on sealing some shafts. I have used polyureathane and spar varnish with good results.My question to you all is..... Will tung oil or something of that nature work ? I know it works on bows , so it should work on arrows .. right?
  All advice appreciated. I just tried some so i hope it works.
                                                                                   ???
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW WHAT A RIDE!!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2007, 12:28:59 pm »
I usually use Tru-Oil these days but have used pine pitch varnish. I make it by desolveing pine pitch in alcohol, strain it out and paint it on. When the alcohol evaporates the pitch is dry. I usually start with hard pitch that the turpentines have evaporated from.  You could also use bees way, melted and rubbed on.     Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline nugget

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2007, 01:06:24 pm »
Thanks for the tips. I will look for true oil. I used tung oil by Formbys. I will try pine pitch too .
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW WHAT A RIDE!!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2007, 03:01:13 pm »
The Formsbys will eventually give you a good finish but in my experience  it is slow to cure. I have some pitch varnish made up and pitch we can make more this weekend.   Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

davidneils

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2007, 03:12:11 pm »
A few years ago a bowhunting friend of mine showed me some shafts that were finished using Danish Watco oil. He made me a PVC pipe holder for the oil with a glued cap
at one end and a screw cap at the other. There is also an extension with a screw cap in the middle to add more oil if needed. To use it:

1. Purchase some brand new Watco Danish Oil or your oil of choice.

2. Sand a dozen shafts and prepare them to be soaked. Don't cut them to length before soaking.

3. Force the shafts into the oil and add enough oil to complete cover the shafts when the screw cap is secured.

4. Wait a week and let those shafts completely soak up the oil. They will be heavier which is really a plus for penetration. I typically get around 30 grains of added weight.

5. Now here's the best part. After you take the shafts out, wipe the excess oil off and let them dry for a day or two. Then weigh the shafts. Put the lighter ones back in the
oil for a few days and weigh again. With a little practice you can get a matched set of shafts that are within 5 -10 grains in weight....easily.

This system has several advantages to finishes that sit on the surface or barely penetrate the shaft. First, you have a shaft that can withstand abuse and nothing is going to flake off the surface of the shaft. Second, there is NO glare on these shafts. It's a wonderful matte finish.

Use Duco to glue on your nocks and feathers and Ferrel-Tite hot glue for the points.

I hope this helps.

David Neils
Fort Collins, Colorado
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Offline D. Tiller

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2007, 04:34:32 pm »
Tried to use polyurethane for dipping arrows and it did not work well. Too thick and it made a mess. Anyone know if the new hand finnish polyeurathane works well? How about some other type for dipping?

David T
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Offline episaacs

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2007, 11:21:16 pm »
I'm working on a set of arrows for AITH; I finished them with Watco Danish Oil, wiped on X3, then 3 coats of Watco wipe on polyurethane; they look great so far.  3 more coats of poly after crown dip and cresting, they're drying now.  I plan on doing the Danish oil soak next time, but I've been wondering how pine tar would do as an arrow finish.  I'm thinking it might remain too tacky, but it seems pine pitch varnish would remain tacky too (haven't tried either one yet).
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Offline nugget

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2007, 10:03:25 am »
Thanks guys I am gonna try a few of those ideas
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW WHAT A RIDE!!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2007, 03:15:16 pm »
I used to dip my cedars in water based poly with great results.   Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

davidneils

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2007, 05:29:06 pm »
I've experimented with different finishes over the years and the Watco Danish Oil is hands down my favorite. As you walk through the brush the finish doesn't change from matte to glossy as many other finishes do. I spooked a lot of game flashing a bow quiver full of poly finished arrows. This wouldn't be as big of a problem with a back quiver or
any quiver that conceals the shaft.

I also tried a tru-oil wax on top of that watco finish but it turned out to be too glossy for my taste.

If someone has used a poly finish that stays on the arrow, doesn't flake off, and remains a matte, non-glare surface, I'd love to know. I'm still looking.

Thanks,

David
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brokennock

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2007, 10:27:43 pm »
I like tru-oil for hardwood shafts. For soft woods like my current fave', sitka spruce, I soak them in boiled linseed oil. I took a bunch of 33" long .5" dia. PVC tubes capped one end added a screw cap to the other, drop the raw shaft in, and fill with oil. I learned to wipe up any overflow right away the hard way. Once the threads are clean I cap the tube and let soak for at least 4 days turning the tube upside down every 24 hours. Let 'em dry a couple weeks (depending on humidity) before tryin to glue anything to 'em.
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Offline D. Tiller

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2007, 07:24:43 pm »
How about for using in a dip tube?
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Offline mullet

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2007, 11:14:15 pm »
For an armor finish I'd use a Massey finish,2-Ton epoxy thinned with acetone.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Shaft sealant
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2007, 12:45:49 pm »
I used a dip tube for the water based poly.  Everything else I apply by hand.  Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC
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